Monterey County agrees to transfer Fort Ord cemetery land to state

Holding up its end of a plan to seek federal grant funding for the long-planned veterans cemetery on Fort Ord, the Monterey County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday unanimously approved transferring the county's portion of the proposed site to the state.

The supervisors' action called for the Fort Ord Reuse Authority, which controls the site, to transfer about 46 acres of the 78-acre parcel to the state Department of Veterans Affairs by Monday, ahead of an August deadline for federal cemetery grants. The Seaside City Council last week unanimously voted to transfer about 32 acres to the state.

The 78 acres is part of a 178-acre parcel in the proposed Monterey Downs project area. The other 100 acres include an "endowment" parcel marked for sale to help fund the cemetery's operations.

The effort to seek federal grants is being led by Rep. Sam Farr, D-Carmel, and state Sen. Bill Monning, D-Monterey.

The board agreed to the transfer on condition that the state agrees to perform all required environmental review under the California Environmental Quality Act before making a decision on whether to approve the project, and to transfer the property back to the county or another entity designated by the county if the cemetery is not funded, approved and constructed.

Supervisor Dave Potter, who made the motion to approve the transfer, praised the move, noting how long it has taken to make any progress on the project despite the efforts of a strong cadre of supporters.

Potter expressed optimism that momentum for the cemetery is stronger than ever.

"Too much time has passed on this issue," he said. "Too many (veterans who backed the cemetery) have died. There are detractors, but I believe this is the right thing to do."

Supervisor Jane Parker, who seconded the motion, said she supported the move because "this action seemed to be a way to take a significant step forward."

Parker said the next major decision will be deciding how much funding needs to be secured before the project begins. Supporters are seeking $25 million, but critics have suggested the project will cost far more than that.

Supervisor Simon Salinas called the cemetery proposal "one of the most important projects in Monterey County history."

Noting gathering momentum behind the effort, he said it "sends a signal that whoever wants to take on the vets will be taking on the whole community."

Keep Fort Ord Wild, a group challenging much of the proposed development on Fort Ord, sent a letter to the supervisors through attorney Molly Erickson objecting to the transfer and arguing it was not legal under CEQA and the State Surplus Land Act. The letter argued the transfer required environmental review because it would result in significant impacts related to water supply, loss of trees and development on steep slopes, and the site had to be offered for affordable housing and recreational uses before being transferred.

But Assistant County Counsel Les Girard advised the board that the transfer is on solid legal ground.

A core group of backers applauded the board's action Tuesday after speaking in support of the move. Among them were former county veterans affairs directors Jack Stewart and Richard Garza; members of the veterans cemetery foundation; military veterans and their backers from the local American Legion; Seaside officials, including Councilman Dave Pacheco and former Councilman Tom Mancini; Monterey Horse Park backers; and Monterey Downs project representative Beth Palmer, who was joined in the audience by developer Brian Boudreau.

Also Tuesday, the supervisors quietly approved a resolution urging the U.S. Supreme Court to affirm the constitutionality of the Voting Rights Act. The act requires the county to seek federal "pre-clearance" for any proposed voting changes, including regular redistricting efforts.